1. Field of Invention
This invention pertains to a device for indicating that an animal excreted fluidic waste product at a defined location. More particularly, this invention pertains to a device for detecting the occurrence of the animal excreting fluidic waste product at the defined location, for containing the fluidic waste product such that the animal does not track the fluidic waste product from the defined location, and for notifying a local or remote user of said animal waste product notification device of the occurrence.
2. Description of the Related Art
Many pet owners keep indoor pets. And just like an outdoor pet, an indoor pet must relieve itself of fluidic pet waste product before or when it reaches the point of incontinence. While some indoor pets have the opportunity to relieve themselves outdoors, such as by way of a pet door or an escort by a pet owner, certain circumstances, such as weather, absence of the pet owner, a pet's medical condition, or pet owner preference, require that an indoor pet relieve itself indoors. Conventional art has addressed these circumstances with several devices and approaches including strategically positioned newspapers, various litter boxes, floor protection pads, and grate/tray devices. Using newspapers to contain fluidic pet waste product is accomplished by placing several layers of newspaper on the floor of the indoor area and training or forcing, by lining the entire floor of the indoor area, the pet to relieve itself on the newspapers. Using newspapers is limited in that the fluidic waste product soaks through the newspapers, contacting the underlying flooring and potentially staining or damaging the flooring. Additionally, after a pet relieves itself on the newspapers, the pet inevitably steps, sits, or rolls in the fluidic waste product and tracks the waste product throughout the indoor area, generating an unsanitary environment within the indoor area.
Another conventional approach for addressing an indoor pet relieving itself of fluidic waste product within an indoor area is the implementation of a litter box. A litter box typically includes a box-type structure that is partially filled with litter, which is designed to absorb and deodorize fluidic pet waste product. Pets are trained to relieve themselves in the litter box such that the fluidic waste product is absorbed by the litter and contained within the litter box. A conventional litter box is limited in that the litter within a litter box is tracked from the litter box when the animal scratches the litter or simply exits the litter box. When the litter is tracked from the litter box it is inevitably tracked throughout the indoor area. Because the litter absorbs fluidic pet waste product, when the litter is tracked throughout the indoor area, pet waste is also tracked throughout the indoor area, generating an unsanitary environment within the indoor area.
Another conventional device designed to address the abovementioned issues includes the floor protection pad. Similar to the newspapers, a floor protection pad is placed on the floor and the pet is trained or forced to relieve itself of fluidic pet waste product on the floor protection pad. The floor protection pad absorbs and deodorizes the fluidic pet waste product. However, floor protection pads are limited in that, as with the newspapers and the litter box, the pet inevitably steps, sits, or rolls in the fluidic pet waste product and tracks the pet waste product throughout the indoor area, generating an unsanitary environment within the indoor area.
Another conventional device designed to contain fluidic pet waste product is the grate/tray device. Conventional grate/tray devices generally include a receptacle tray disposed below a grate that is accessible by the pet. The pet is trained to relieve itself on the grate of the device. When the pet excretes fluidic waste product on the grate, the fluidic waste product drains through the grate and to the tray such that the waste product is collected by the tray. Because the waste product is collected by the tray, the pet cannot step, sit, or roll in the waste product and track it throughout the indoor area. However, a conventional grate/tray device, like the other conventional devices, is limited in that when the waste product is contained by the conventional device, the pet caretaker is not notified that the conventional device contains the waste product. And when the waste product remains contained by the conventional device without being attended to by the caretaker, the waste product becomes an unsanitary cesspool that presents potentially detrimental health consequences to the pet and the caretaker and generates an unsavory odor that fills the indoor area. As a result of the state of the conventional art, a device for detecting when an animal excretes fluidic waste product at a defined location, for containing the fluidic waste product such that the animal cannot track the waste product from the defined location, and for indicating that the animal excreted fluidic waste product at the defined location to a local or remote individual is desired.